Classmates of 9-year-old Grayson Bruce are giving him such a hard time for wearing a My Little Pony backpack complete with fuzzy ears and pink colors, his school is telling him he has to part ways with the struggle, calling it the catalyst for the attacks.

Noreen Bruce, Grayson’s mother, is unhappy that the school targeted her son as the problem and not the bullies who are doing the teasing. They both say he was pushed and punched to add to the “sticks and stones” effect of their name-calling.

Noreen Bruce said officials at Buncombe County Schools recently told her son, Grayson, that he was not allowed to wear his My Little Pony backpack because it was a “trigger for bullying,” according to local outlet WLOS-TV. Grayson had been facing verbal and physical attacks from tormentors who called the backpack “girly.”

Grayson would like to keep wearing the backpack, but district officials told WLOS-TV they made a decision to “immediately address a situation that had created a disruption in the classroom.”

A Change.org petition in support of the child has several hundred signatures, and a Facebook page titled “Support For Grayson” had nearly 10,000 likes as of Friday afternoon. The page also contains supportive video messages, including one from a member of the United States Navy who identifies himself as Petty Officer Dorr.

Obviously the horsie elephant in the room is why would a 9-year-old want to hold on to a traditionally feminine item that would open him up to ridicule but then again, the freedom to be who you are doesn’t begin with adulthood. Not even the bullies would want to see a worst-case-scenario suicide come as result of this.

Check out the pictures of the bookbag in gallery and decide for yourself who should be ultimately punished for the issue.

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Is they going to pay her for the backpack she spent her hard earned money on. I dnt think so! He should be able to wear whatever he wants! I dnt hear anything about them punishing the bullies though.

Goobie Gillis

This is exactly what is wrong with America
Freedom to pursue happiness is not upheld.
He is not free
The school and law enforcement should protect HIS rights! Instead the “System” supports Mob Mentality.
I would Sue the pants off the school…..
This bullying is what HAS to Stop
Until people can be who they want or are without being attacked, humans no better than animals.

William Jackson

On the one hand the administration is right that this item will tend to draw bullying but they gave in instead of doing the right thing. And that would be coming down hard on bullying, a teachable moment has been wasted. The bullies got the wrong message and so did the victim.